John Oliver Byren, 88, of Rumson, NJ and Jensen Beach, FL died peacefully at home on October 1st, 2021, surrounded by his family in Rumson, NJ. “Pop Pop”, as he was known to his grandchildren, was raised in Germantown, PA and Ocean City, NJ. He attended the William Penn Charter School and Lehigh University before serving in the United States Army, where he was a company commander in Germany.
After returning home from the Army in 1957, John attended Wharton Business School, and upon graduation began his career in business management. He met his beautiful wife, Susan Taylor, in New York City, marrying in 1963 and moving to Medford, NJ to start their family. He held executive positions at RCA, Ultronics and BTSI before being named Executive Vice President of the American Stock Exchange in 1978. Eventually, his close friends in Ocean City, NJ told him of a beautiful seaside town within a short commute to Wall Street, and in 1974, John and Susan moved their children, John and Liz, and two Gordon Setters to Rumson, NJ. to begin the next chapter of their lives.
John continued his commute to Wall Street, sometimes by train, car, boat or seaplane before an opportunity to start a company enticed him to leave the financial industry and enter an exciting new field, personal computers. John started Jonathon’s Apple Inc, and quickly became the largest dealer for the relatively new Apple Computer. After a successful career in the personal computing world, John sold his company to look for new challenges. Years of searching led John to believe that his management skills were best used at the helm of a fishing boat, directing his crew to set baits, grab the gaff and get him a “Greenie”. This change in lifestyle also allowed him and Susan to further establish roots in Jensen Beach, Florida, which suited Susan’s love of the sun and John’s love of the sea.
John truly loved the outdoors, and when he wasn’t with his family, he was either on his boat chasing gamefish or back at the dock swapping fish tales. He fished the east coast from New Jersey to Florida, and was especially fond of his trips landing tuna and blue marlin in the Bahamas. He also cherished his time in the field and wetlands, hunting waterfowl and upland game birds with lifelong friends and family from New Jersey to Delaware.
John is survived by his son John F. Byren and wife Arleen, daughter Elizabeth Byren Kelleher and husband John, as well as his grandchildren Andrew Byren, William Byren, Taylor Kelleher, Kyle Byren, Jack Kelleher, Grace Kelleher and Nicole Byren. Also by his side was his dedicated caregiver, Nina, who made sure that his final years were comfortable and honorable.
Friends and family are invited to celebrate John’s life at Sea Bright Beach Club from 3:00 to 5:00pm on Sunday October 10th with words of remembrance at 4:00. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to either Rising Treetops of Oakhurst or Rescue Ridge Dog Adoption of Spring Lake. Thompson Memorial home, 310 Broad Street in Red Bank is in charge of the arrangements.
